Disabled Parking Signs Abused

(3/26/2007)

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Some disabled people have a special card they use when they park their car. These are called disabled placards. They are removable signs that can be hung from the rearview mirror of a car. These placards are only supposed to be for disabled people.

These placards are meant to help disabled people in a number of ways. They allow the person to park in special parking spaces. They can also be used when dropping-off or picking-up a disabled person. A disabled person can even use it to park without having to put money into meters.

Parking officials think that some people are cheating. Not all people who have these placards are disabled. Today, one in sixteen drivers in California carries the sign.

There are a lot more people who have disabled placards today than ten years ago. A person from the DMV says that there are many reasons for the increase in numbers. As people get older they may have a reason to receive one. There are also more reasons that allow drivers to have one today. Finally, there are a number of people who have them that should not.

Last year the DMV cancelled more than 25,000 permits. They found that lots of people who had the disabled placards had died. These permits are no longer valid.

Some people are worried about the system being abused. They are worried that access to the program could be limited because of misuse by others. More rules could make it harder for truly disabled people to get disabled placards.

(This was adapted from an original story provided by News10 KXTV Sacramento.)

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